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Decades of research document that children learn more when their instruction is systematic, explicit, and efficient. Effective instruction is accelerated instruction, with students learning more within a shorter period of time. Siegfried Engelmann and Wesley Becker, the founders of Direct Instruction, pioneered the research in explicit instructional techniques. All of the Direct Instruction curricula are based on the elements that they and their followers derived through years of careful research.

Even though many curricula include elements of effective instructional programs, this does not mean that they are necessarily effective. Specialists in the field distinguish Direct Instruction (capitalized), the programs developed by Engelmann and his colleagues, from direct instruction (no capitals), curricula that incorporate only some of the effective elements.

Click on the links below to learn more about how Direct Instruction is effective instruction and how it differs from other programs:
The Research Base for Reading Mastery, SRA by Bonnie Grossen, Ph.D. (http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~adiep/rdgtxt.htm)

A Rubric for Identifying Authentic Direct Instruction Programs, by Siegfried Engelmann, the founder of Direct Instruction, and Geoff Colvin, Ph.D.  (www.zigsite.com/PDFs/rubric.pdf)

Student-Program Alignment and Teaching to Mastery, by Siegfried Engelmann (www.zigsite.com/PDFs/StuPro_Align.pdf)

Siegfried “Zig” Engelmann’s personal website provides much information on the theory and research behind DI.  (www.zigsite.com)

An article by Cheryl Schieffer and colleagues, published in 2002, analyses DI’s Reading Mastery program and shows how it embodies the elements of effective instruction. [Schieffer et al, JODI, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 87-119]

  • All children can be taught.
  • All children can improve academically and in terms of self image.
  • All teachers can succeed if provided with adequate training and materials.
  • Low performers and disadvantaged learners must be taught at a faster rate than typically occurs if they are to catch up to their higher-performing peers.
  • All details of instruction must be controlled to minimize the chance of students' misinterpreting the information being taught and to maximize the reinforcing effect of instruction.
  • DI Programs are based on years of research on how children learn and the most effective ways to teach. This work produced the basic principles of effective instruction: All children can learn when instruction is systematic, explicit, and efficient. Poor achievement does not result from poor students, but from poor teaching. Direct Instruction programs, developed by Siegfried Engelmann and colleagues, incorporate all of these elements of effective instruction. 

    Many studies have evaluated Direct Instruction programs and documented their effectiveness. NIFDI's searchable database includes summaries of dozens of peer reviewed, scientifically strong studies of DI programs. See The DI Research Base and Search for Articles on DI.

    All Direct Instruction programs are extensively field tested during development. Students and teachers throughout the country try out each program, and their feedback is used to make sure they are highly effective. See Field Testing DI Programs.

    NEW!  A Bibliography of the DI Curriculum and Studies Examining its Efficacy
    Researchers continue to study Direct Instruction, and the literature on DI continues to grow. Check out the latest addition to NIFDI's tools and resources on DI research: A Bibliography of the DI Curriculum and Studies Examining its Efficacy.  

    Implementing Direct Instruction Successfully

    When implemented fully, Direct Instruction (DI) is unparalleled in its ability to improve student performance and enhance students’ self-esteem. In order to implement DI effectively, much more is required than simply purchasing instructional materials. The following two-part tutorial guides administrators, teachers, and coaches through the key features of a successful DI implementation. Part I provides an overview of the steps schools need to take in preparation for a DI implementation before school starts, while Part II provides an overview of the steps schools need to take after school has started.

    IMPORTANT: This tutorial is an intensive video series comprised of 18 segments, each followed by a series of questions. Users should allow approximately three hours to watch the videos and complete the questions. NIFDI recognizes the high demand for time placed on school officials and, for this reason, has structured the tutorial so users may stop at any time and later resume where they left off.

    Enroll in the tutorial here


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    New to Direct Instruction? Watch the Introduction to Direct Instruction Video Series before taking the online tutorial.

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